"DNA" 2003 Obituary

DNA o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-10-04 published
GAUDETTE,
BarryDouglas
Born April 2, 1947 in Edmonton, Alberta, Barry died October 1,
2003 in the Ottawa Civic Hospital surrounded by family and Friends
after a brief yet valiant struggle with multiple myeloma. Pre-deceased
by his mother Orvie, father Douglas, and father-in-law Jim
CLARK,
he is survived by his beloved wife, Leslie Ann, and two children
Darrell Lorne (University of Waterloo) and Lisa Marie (Acadia
University). Loving brother to Allan (Gloria), Montreal; Neil
(Merrilyn) and Dawn, Edmonton: Shelley (Glen), Nanaimo; and Douglas,
Guelph.Also loved by his mother-in-law Mary
CLARK, sister-in-law
Mary-Jane GARNETT (Jim), Surrey, British Columbia; and brothers-in-law
Jim (Shirley) and Norman (Gwen), Langley, British Columbia. Beloved
nieces and nephews include Taryn, Jaden, Brynne, Ariel, Nathaniel,
Sarah, Robin, Willow, Gaelan, Maxwell, Leanna, Tracey, Tara,
Melissa, Sandra, Teresa, Angela, John and Shyan.
Barry earned a B.Sc (Honours) in Chemistry from the University
of Calgary in 1969. He served 33 years as a Forensic Scientist
with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, most recently as Manager
of the Canadian Police Research Centre, a collaboration of the
National Research Council, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and
the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. An internationally
recognized expert in hair and fibre analysis, he published innovative
research articles on forensic hair comparison, chaired international
expert committees, and appeared as an expert witness in courts
in both Canada and the United States. Envisioning the potential
of DNA analysis in forensic science, he managed the implementation
of DNA technology in Royal Canadian Mounted Police labs across
Canada, and contributed to the 1997 National
DNADatabank legislation.
A member of the Canadian, American and United Kingdom Forensic
Science societies, he also served on the U.S. / Canada Bilateral
Counter-Terrorism Research and Development Committee, 1999-2002.
His contributions were recognized in 1996 with the Government
of Canada Public Service Award of Excellence and in 2003 with
the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Commemorative Medal for
his work in hair comparison, implementation of the National
DNA
Databank, and international standardization forensic methodologies.
Barry loved God's world and his greatest joys were found while
enjoying the many miles of recreational trails around Ottawa
and in his garden. An active community leader, he volunteered
his time as Cub leader, Soccer Coach and Chair of the Colonel
By High School Parents Association.
Friends may visit at the St. Laurent Chapel of Hulse, Playfair
and McGarry, 1200 Ogilvie Road at Aviation Parkway on Tuesday
October 7, 2003 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm. A Celebration of Barry's
life will be held at the Church of the Epiphany, 1290 Ogilvie
Road, Ottawa on Wednesday, October 8th at 1 pm with a reception
to follow. A private interment will be held at Beechwood Cemetary.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Canadian Cancer
Society or to the Trans-Canada Trail Association.

DNA o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-11-25 published
A world-class forensic scientist
Expert in hair and fibre analysis and
DNA techniques helped revolutionized
police investigations worldwide
By Randy RAY,
Special to The Globe and Mail Tuesday, November
25, 2003 - Page R7
Ottawa -- A simple demonstration using a red pullover and an
ultraviolet light during one of the United State's most infamous
murder cases helped cement Barry
GAUDETTE's reputation as an
internationally renowned forensic scientist.
While testifying as an expert witness during the 1981 trial of
Wayne WILLIAMS for the murder of several black children in Atlanta,
Mr. GAUDETTE asked members of the jury to pass the sweater back
and forth. Then he switched off the lights in the courtroom and
shone an ultraviolet light on the jury members, revealing fibres
from the pullover all over them..
His testimony made a strong connection between carpet fibres
from Mr. WILLIAMS's residences and vehicles, and fibres found
on several of the young victims, including some whose bodies
were found submerged in water. Soon after, Mr.
WILLIAMS was convicted
as the first black serial killer in the U.S.
"It was a graphic, innovative and very compelling demonstration
that showed how fibre transfer worked, and it led to a conviction,"
said Skip PALENIK, a forensic scientist and president of Microtrace
in Chicago, who was involved in the
WILLIAMS trial.
"Barry's demonstration helped the jury buy into the theory of
fibre transfer... they were hostile to the idea that a black
man could kill other blacks, but it tied
WILLIAMS to the victims.
It was the kind of demonstration that brought science home to
a jury.'' Mr.
GAUDETTE, a native of Edmonton, died in Ottawa
on October 1 after a brief battle with multiple myeloma. He was
At the time of the Atlanta child-murders case, Mr.
GAUDETTE,
a forensic scientist by training, was an expert in hair and fibre
analysis. Later, he would help implement the use of
DNA technology
in Royal Canadian Mounted Police laboratories across Canada.
His findings in hair and fibre analysis and his legwork in
DNA
helped revolutionize police investigative tools in Canada and
around the world, so much so that his work became instrumental
in tracking down society's most feared criminals.
Born in Edmonton on April 2, 1947, the oldest of six children,
Mr. GAUDETTE received an honours bachelor of science degree in
chemistry from the University of Calgary in 1969 and that year
was hired by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to work as a forensic
scientist in its hair and fibre section in Edmonton. In 1971
he married Leslie Ann
CLARK, whom he'd met while the pair worked
at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., in Pinawa, Manitoba
He worked for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Edmonton until
1980, during which time he wrote a groundbreaking paper and published
various research articles on the high probability that human
scalp hair comparisons could be used to link persons to crimes.
"His work proved hair comparisons were even more conclusive than
blood," said Ms.
GAUDETTE, an epidemiologist for Health Canada
in Ottawa.
"Barry showed for the first time scientifically that human hair
comparisons were a legitimate type of examination to pursue.
His work put what had been conventional wisdom onto a scientific
footing," adds Mr.
PALENIK, whose company provides expert scientific
analysis and consultation in the area of small-particle analysis.
After undergoing a year's training with the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police in hair and fibre analysis, Mr.
GAUDETTE was accredited
in 1970 as an expert witness and often testified in court cases
in Edmonton and later across Canada and in the United States.
In 1980, he was transferred to Ottawa to be the chief scientist
for hair and fibre analysis at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's
central forensic laboratory.
"Barry developed the hair and fibre field and brought it to prominence
in the world arena," said John
BOWEN, chief scientific officer
for Royal Canadian Mounted Police Forensic Laboratory Services
in Ottawa, who was trained in hair and fibre analysis by Mr.
GAUDETTE in the mid-1980s.
"He was an individual with a lot of vision, a world-class expert
in his field.'' In the late 1980s, Mr.
GAUDETTE envisioned the
potential of
DNA analysis in forensic science. He helped implement
the technology in Royal Canadian Mounted Police labs across Canada
and worked to promote the national
DNA databank legislation that
came into force in 1997.
"Barry did not invent
DNA testing," said Mr.
PALENIK, "but he
saw that it was a powerful tool that could give investigators
an ultimate kind of identification. Blood, semen and hair were
good, but he recognized that
DNA was as good as a fingerprint.
He was the one who said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police should
put all of its resources into developing
DNA as a forensic tool.
He said 'let's not waste time on our old ways.' "
It's no stretch, said Mr.
PALENIK, to link Mr.
GAUDETTE's work
in DNA to the conviction of many criminals linked to crimes by
their DNA and exoneration of others whose
DNA did not match
DNA
samples taken from crime scenes.
"Barry GAUDETTE made a large contribution to the
DNA business
because it has significantly changed the investigation procedures
in policing," said John
ARNOLD, chief scientist for the Ottawa-based
Canadian Police Research Centre, a collaboration of the National
Research Council, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian
Association of Chiefs of Police, which was set up to develop
tools for use by police.
"Today, they are solving cases that could never have been solved
before without this kind of technology."
In 1999, Mr.
GAUDETTE became manager of the Canadian Police Research
Centre, where his innovative ways continued. Before retiring
in 2002, he helped develop a website, scheduled to be up and
running next year, to provide Web-based training for police.
He was also involved in developing a cross-Canada standard for
protective equipment worn by police. The standard is expected
to be in place by the end of 2004, Mr.
ARNOLD said.
Even when he was in the twilight years of his career, Mr.
GAUDETTE
had an appetite for fieldwork and was never content to sit in
a cushy office chair and watch his subordinates do all of the
work.
"When some people get into management they don't want to work.
They want to be the one who directs it. That wasn't Barry," Mr.
ARNOLD said.
His stellar reputation led to a position on the U.S./Canada bilateral
counterterrorism research and development committee from 1999
to 2002. He received numerous accolades for his pioneering forensic
work. In 1996, he was awarded the government of Canada Public
Service Award of Excellence, and in 2003 a Golden Jubilee Medal.
Friends and colleagues said that away from the job, Mr.
GAUDETTE
enjoyed time with his family and took part in community affairs.
Mr. GAUDETTE leaves his wife
Leslie and children Lisa, 18, and
Darrell, 22.